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Promises Kept
On the road again; well, traversing the skies. With a lid on her fury for the time being, she watched the forest pass by below, their path straying as the glimmering sea came into view. Renesmee recapped what she had learned. Great-grandmother who is a god...grandmother is a god...her mother a former demigod who forsook her lineage to become a vampire. Saved from mortal injuries twice by a figure she just met today; drinking her mother's blood after defeating her finally. Did that mean assuming Esme's guilt? Rene couldn't help but feel dirty after the act after all.....it didn't sit well even if done in the heat of the moment. Still, what hurt most was the casual meeting between godly ancestor and that male. It was a low blow that he kept such a thing from her....yet he wanted her to trust him. A familiar rage frothed and boiled once more as her head spun. A sudden dip by Aethon broke her out of this candescent enmity. "Do you want to land for a bit? We've already covered a lot of ground," Rene offered, feeling Aethon fly lower in response. Pergrande and Sin were long in their wake after all; with the rapid approach of the Desierto-Bellum border, it would be time to turn north. She had no interest in flying over or trekking through a desert wasteland. Once they landed, Rene sat down. It struck her finally that they had been traveling for well over a day at this point without a wink of sleep. She was used to this at this point, but the wobbliness of Aethon showed the latter was not. Rene patted the ground next to her, lining up her back against a tree as Aethon joined her, the bird shifting to her human form. "So..what now?" Aethon asked, yawning lightly. "We rest a bit, then we turn northwest. We're cutting across Joya before heading for Fiore; according to reports there's a Tetsuya there as the head of a troublesome guild. It's drawn the ire of the MCs if they're to be believed," Rene responded. "Sounds about right; he's an irresponsible turd after all." With that, Aethon drifted off, leaving Renesmee to her own thoughts as she took up watch. She still found herself stuck on the complicated nature of her family, one that she largely didn't know. Multiple gods, a treacherous mother who before being a vampire was a demigod, and a question mark for a father. She still didn't know anything about him; Esme made sure of that. The assassin found herself cursing the woman's name once more. Unless...maybe she could ask that goddess she met; Ataecina right? Her.....ancestor. The dhampir somehow felt dirtier thinking this...an ugly twisted hybrid next to glorious divinity. Rene knew she didn't fit the mold; a blood-sucking heathen claiming to be related to gods? It sounded as ridiculous as it was demeaning...to the gods anyway. What if the goddess was just pulling her leg? It wouldn't be the first time someone toyed with her... Her mind quieted with moonrise, staring at the large orb as it took up more than its share of the sky. Tonight was a supermoon it seemed. Taking out her swords, she examined the blood red blades, searching for cracks or worn edges before testing their sharpness. A singular drop of blood fell out before sizzling on the ground. To distract herself from the unsettling silence, Rene began considering their next move. The first move was reaching Fiore; that was the easy part. The hard part was the guild; while she had a rough geographical location within Fiore, she doubted the guild itself would be out in the open. Truthfully speaking, she would think less of them if they were; deeming them either insanely confident or woefully stupid. All things considered, she was leaning towards the latter. Operating from the presumption the guild was hidden, the question became how. While magic would be a logical conclusion, magic could be disrupted or negated; then again, she had no doubt the guild was large. So some form of magic would need to be utilized, at least in part. Now the question was what type...was it a cloaking magic, illusion weaving (she cringed, reminded of Esme's skill), or some terrain alteration? Those would be the most effective types...the matter was how to expose those defenses so she could find her way in. "Hmm..." She tapped her blades against the ground, drawing a line in the dirt as her thoughts continued to drift. Her eyes narrowed as other options popped into her head, seeing the potential for overlapping strategies in effort to strengthen the guild's protection. Now that Rene thought about it, she knew very little of this guild beyond threadbare structures and the rumor mill. Besides antagonizing the Magic Council to the point of becoming an enemy, being home to individuals deemed "national security threats", and headed by a stubborn oaf with a propensity to trot his power around, Rene could think of nothing. What had she gotten herself into? "I thought you said we would switch off. How many times have I told you that you need to sleep too?" came the sleepy voice of Aethon. Rene jumped. "And I've told you repeatedly I'm fine. I've pulled all nighters before...spent over a week straight without sleeping. No ill effects. You ready? We have much ground to cover if we plan on finding this place." Aethon huffed as it sat up, stretching its wings. "Still wish he had given more information beyond "it's in Fiore". Idiot," it commented. "There's no use crying over spilled milk. We will find him and his peacock guild just the same," Rene responded, climbing on its back. They took to the skies once more, though flying lower. She readied her magic, spreading it along her frame, prepared to activate it at a moment's notice. "What are we looking for anyway?" Thon asked. "Perfection among the imperfect. Irregularities among the regular. Everything leaves a magic signature...even disguises." Aethon huffed. "So we're looking for a needle in a haystack. Great; that imbecile couldn't give directions if someone handed him a map," it said, its tone snappy. They soared a bit higher. "Is there anything we can cross off at least? Just to expedite the search a bit. I mean, they wouldn't place their location next to a major city right? Too likely to attract attention even with great cloaking skills. Especially with prying eyes everywhere. Big brother is always watching." Rene sighed. "Nonetheless, big cities can be useful provided you know how to use the masses to your advantage...still, it would take more effort and coordination to accomplish that feat. We'll check the cities last," she responded. "Where could they be then?" "Somewhere relatively isolated, but with easy access to supplies; say a small, but well connected town. They'd probably exist beyond the outskirts, where human towns give way to nature. From what the rumors say, they're fairly large, though not nearly as massive as Fairy Tail at its height. If Tetsuya's piggish mentality means anything, however, their building is likely far larger than FT's despite having less people. No doubt there's quite a bit of pomp and pageantry needing to be obscured." "So a mountain-face? If it's as big as I'm envisioning that's probably the only thing that could hide it. Or it could hide as anyway," Aethon added, her tone sour in distaste, "there are mountains in northern Fiore. Should we check those? Or stick to the forested sections?" "We'll check the forests on the way before heading that way. Let me know if you see anything of interest." Aethon nodded. "Sounds like a plan; I still wish we had more to go on...." "And wishes are for fools; we make do with what we have, and turn lemons into lemon cake with a side of lemonade," Rene responded. The idea of wishes brought back to mind her conversation with that goddess...well, her ancestor technically. Rene still didn't like the idea of being related to those people up there...not when she saw how dependent the people of Sin were on religion. Praying to some distant deity on high for deliverance; had she not been raised an assassin, the woman was certain she could live well as a priestess of some religious institution. Nonetheless, Rene knew without divine intervention she would have been dead years ago, her mother still running around. Ambivalence..that's what Renesmee felt as she scanned the landscape. Pure and simple. Though it felt more like a "can't live with them, can't live without them" situation. It irritated her how quickly deities could make themselves essential to your existence; not that she wasn't grateful for the Atae's help. The woman cast her magic out like a net, scanning for interruptions as night beckoned once more. "Any luck?" she questioned her flying partner. "Not a drop. We're looking for a needle in a haystack Rene," Thon responded, its vision refocusing with the encroaching nightfall. They continued their northerly trek, scanning in search of some clues, any clues. Even a person might be useful; at the very least some signage. Rene then spotted two moving dots below, navigating the high forest terrain on their own. Given the hour, they looked a bit out of place; normally most would stop somewhere and tuck in. "Are you seeing this Aeth?" the assassin asked, as the eagle soared a bit higher. "Yeah...I am. Should we check them out? At the very least we could say hello. Maybe find a spot for the night? As much as you don't complain, I know you're probably more comfortable in a bed than on the forest floor," it commented. ---- The harmonious serenity of the silent forest was momentarily disrupted by two figures that moved at an incredible pace and brushed past the scenery with matched steps. One of the figures, a young woman with cherry red hair who wore an opened flame pattered jacket that left both her stomach and upper torso exposed, took a slight lead over her male traveling companion as she looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. "Looks like you're going to lose this race to me Sal" Lindsey proclaimed as she had already made preparations to gloat once she had won. After successfully clearing a mission, the duo had been headed back home when Lindsey had challenged Sa'luk to a race in which who could make it back home without using magic, with the winner of the challenge being able to request any one thing of the loser. There were many treasures that Sa'luk had obtained during his solo days that he wouldn't give up willingly so Lindsey has used this as an opportunity to snag one. They were dating, sure, but that didn't mean they didn't have things they wanted for themselves and considering Sal's rather toned down personality, these kinds of challenges were always fun to do when she got the chance. Watching her partner follow behind her trail, Lindsey couldn't help grinning innocently as she felt a surge of adrenaline pump through her veins. "Try to keep up, Sal!" She accelerated a bit more as her body moved ahead and the distance between the two seemed to keep growing. It was evident that Lindsey was going to capitalize on her opportunity to win and with the goal in sight, she was going to snatch victory. “Try you ''to keep Lindsey”, the assassin of Dawn Horizon retorted with a happy grimace plastered on his face. The pace of Sa’luk’s movements went up to respond to his girlfriend’s challenge, filling the gap that separated the two. Due to his speed, a gentle breeze was now cuffing his face, tousling his brown hair which he kept tied in a mane of dreadlocks. “''Hurry, up boy, if you don’t want to get left behind.” An amused chuckle whispered inside the man’s mind: it was Cursa, his adoptive father, giving off his typical jests. “''Your lady doesn’t just look like a feline, bt also moves like one. Though the sight of her rear is a very pleasant one, objectively speaking, I’d not squander a chance to have a desire obtained by such beautiful lady''”. “''Of course I won’t, this is not a chance I ever intend to waste''”. Sa’luk said, or better said, thought the assassin. Though he was known in dawn Horizon to one of the dourest and most no-nonsense members of the rather Wacky Dawn Horizon- and for a due reason, given the grim nature of his crusade- he too had a competitive side which yearned for fun and games. A side that Lindsey was bringing more and more to the front. “''However…''” “… you haven’t decided yet what to ask Lindsey yet, if you ever win”. Completed Cursan, sighing. By the heavens, his boy was so focused on his mission to purge the world from the scummiest of the scummiest, and so averse to ask anything for himself, that he had serious trouble even thinking of something that would please him. “''Well, I… think she’s already giving me everything I could wish for. I am already blessed beyond my merits…''” “''Pleeasee… don’t repeat again how much wonderful and beautiful your girlfriend is, how cool and a caring your friends are, and how much Dawn Horizon has given a place to finally belong with! I know it’s true, you know it’s true, just try to focus on something you would like to do in the immediate moment''. Walking on a beach together, go on a vacation on some exotic part of the continent and beyond…” “''Maybe… I could ask for a new weapon…''” Mused Sa’luk. Though he and Lindsey had got their fair share of mission together, Sa’luk had explicitly forbidden Lindsey to take part in his assassination job; so, there was plenty of time where both were busy doing the business they were expert at: Lindsey robbing blind scoundrels, and Sa’luk beheading them. Sa’luk would know of every artifact his honey had managed to snatch from a Dark Guild or some black-market kingpin, but he had never asked one for himself, as he knew how much Lin loved to hoard all the pretty trinkets. But… maybe… there was always time for an exception. “Well, not exactly the most romantic thing ever. But hey, love between outlaws is bound to be strange”. Commented Cursan, shrugging on his metaphorical shoulders. “''I’d enjoy myself too making a shish kebab out or our targets with a new Kriss or blast the fuck of them with some kind of artillery from a forgotten and more advanced civilization''”. It was true that of the duo, as unlikely it could be, the demon was the least bloodthirsty and most prone to chill out, but that just barely. Parental responsibilities or not, Cursan had the destroyer’s edge inside him, from the days he was known to raze cities to the ground and beget terror in the people of Desierto. He may have repented and changed for better, but you can’t truly turn an old dog like him upside down. “''Now stop daydreaming and focus on the victory''!” “''Roger''”. Sa’luk’s muscles fired in a sprint: though somewhat short and lean for a male, being the same height of his girlfriend, he was extremely well trained, a bundle of steel sinews tempered by a lifetime of training, fighting and parkouring through rooftops and minarets, slipping through at the last moment after successful garroting. Dosing well power and balance on his legs, he finally got to tailgate Linsey, being so close he could almost kiss her from behind. While he was definitively tempted to stamp a kiss on her beautiful, soft neck, his eyes were on a branch above, coming from tree of black berries, shrouded by leaves and full of ripe fruit. With a more powerful effort, plundering a bit more from his stamina, he surpassed Lindesy, with a big leap, taking somewhat of an advantage. Midair, he cleaved off the wooden branch with a single strike, just as Lindsey was passing below. "W-What!" Lindsey was speechless as she watched her partner muster up speed she wasn't aware he possessed as Sa'luk leaped over her. She would have complimented him on his acrobatics if she hadn't seen him slice off a branch whilst in the air and left the tumbling piece of wood to fall on her head. “Berries should taste good, honey!” He commented as the very light but visually cumbersome branch plummeted directed above Lin, blinding for enough to secure his advantage. “Tell me how good they are when you reach me at the finish line”. "Damn it, that's a dirty move!" Lindsey screeched, her mind working into overdrive to avoid the collision with the branch. With how fast it was falling towards her, dodging it with her own reflexes was out of the question and if she tried to destroy it, she'd relinquish the lead she worked so hard to get and the race would essentially be over. Considering her options, there was only one thing left to do. Without a moment's hesitation, Lindsey reached for the small pistol hoisted onto her belt and used a finger to adjust the setting on the side of the gun. She then swiftly pointed it backwards while her body was still facing forward and after bracing herself, she pulled the trigger as an explosion erupted from the pistol she was wielding. "You won't be winning that easily, Sal!" Lindsey yelled with a foxy smile as her body exploded forward due to the the force of the gun she had triggered. She soared through the air as her speed kept climbing higher and higher until she easily caught right back up with Sa'luk, crashing right into him as her body landed right on top of his as they both tumbled and rolled on the grass, coming to a stop as Lindsey used both her arms to pin Sa'luk down as she mounted him on his waist. "Sorry Sal, if I don't get to win then neither do you" She laughed before adopting a cat like smile as she stared at her surprised boyfriend pinned to the ground "That was cheap move by the way, I never knew you could be so devious. Though...." She smiled further before she leaned in closer, stopping short of his ear "...I'd be lying if I said that I didn't like that side of you" She purposefully whispered those words as she saw his ears flush red, a giggle escaping her mouth at the reaction. Seeing him like that was far too much fun for the foxy thief. Considering the mood and the serenity of the forest, certain naughty ideas began to float into Lindsey's head and just before she could voice them out loud, her face narrowed as she detected something up above in the sky and inclined her head upward. "...Do you feel that, Sal?" Lindsey's attitude seemed to change instantly as she couldn't asertain the nature of the threat she was sensing. Feeling so close to Linsdey, having her breath tickling his neck… the young man’s heart raced, pumping so much blood his face had assumed the typical hue of a tomato. He was not accustomed being beaten in a race, even through underhanded tactics; he would often dash sideways he if heard a noise like that and try to force his way if someone was pinning him down. Yet, before Lindsey beautiful, loving gaze of gold, he was rendered disarmed… yet wholly happy about that. Sal’uk had never knew that the taste- and touch- of weakness could feel so sweet, so pleasurable… And still, the moment he saw Lindsey’ golden gaze peeking above, his instincts kicked in. His muscles got tenser, his heartbeat calmer. Sa’luk went immediately to his partner, asking for a check. “''Cursan, are you sensing some kind of energy? Is it some kind of evil one?” “''I can’t say it for sure”, the demon nodded his head- if metaphorically. “''The signal I am receiving is weak and intermittent, coming and going. If were a vulgar devil of the Eighth Circle of Hell, I would bet my regal rear that we are dealing with a sensor, and a damn good one at that''”. Tendrils of shadow came out of Sa’luk’s body, alongside Cursan typical multitude of eyes of ranks of razor-sharp teeth. “Lindsey dear, I hate being busybody, but I’d suggest you take your sniper rifle for a scanning and get down from your pretty boyfriend. He’s a disciplined boy, but I am not sure he can concentrate well in such supine position”. His comment had Sa’luk turn chili pepper, though the assassin for once could not blame for the embarrassment, for his second sword had indeed risen to an alarming rate in such brief moment. Lindsey nodded at Cursan's words as she quickly regained her bearings and stood up and pried herself off Sal and focused all of her attention back onto the figure... no, figures she was sensing in mid air. If it had just been a wild animal surveying the air then she wouldn't have noticed but there was another life force present that was clearly the presence of a human being, an ominous one at that. Gazing the blue above, Cursan pondered. Very few sensors had the skills to avoid his immense talent in noticing magical disturbances, even people above his own weight. Who could be that skilled to pull off such feat? Well… except for that damned little dhampir whom the boss was desperately add in his ever growing and ever weirder family. That little dhampir who could seemingly vanish into tin air and phase through everything they would throw at her. Quite the skilled lass, he would comment. But not that skilled she could avoid being detected forever. Shadow pelt back from Cursan fang, showing off a smile that could make crocodile cover in fear. Between Mizuki, Sabrina and Pele, how much superpowerful chicks had degraded him, belittled him, insulted him, and lorded all over him as if he was some kind of black doormat? Too many. TOO. MANY!! If this Renesmee was truly the culprit, and coming back for a second round, Cursan swore he would make her swallow the harsh and humiliating taste of dust…. and darkness. Lindsey wasn't going to wait as she snapped her fingers as a long mechanical rifle appeared in her hands and she aimed it above, placing her eye within the scope to extend her range. She further enhanced her vision by acting one of her signature magic as a light pink cross hair appeared in Lindsey's eyes and her range extended through the night sky and she was easily able to spot the figure of what appeared to be a bird and a woman flying in the night sky, looking down at them. Lindsey frowned immediately when she saw this. "We've got trouble guys, there's someone up there that's clearly aware of not just our location but also might be targeting the hideout. Nobody would come all the way out here just for a stroll" Lindsey was certain that they were enemies, the question now was who did they answer too? The Brigade? A couple of bounty hunters? There was an endless list of names that Lindsey could think of but that didn't matter at the moment as she had to move quickly and deal with this potential threat before their location was exposed. Also, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a bit angry that her alone time with Sal was interrupted. "I'll give them a warning shot just to test them out" Lindsey smirked before loading her rifle with magic and then pulled on the trigger, sending a sizable beam of energy spiraling towards her pursuers. "Do you think they've spot-" a pin-point beam targeting their general vicinity cut Aethon off. The bird banked a hard right to put further distance between themselves and the warning shot. "Yes, they most definitely have...and if that's their reaction, it's worth asking them if they know where this guild is. Fly down to them," Rene responded, hands on her sheathed blades. "After they shot at us??!! Are you mad??!! I don't know about you, but that seemed pretty hostile. They'll definitely have more in store," Aeth protested even as the bird flew lower. "Considering they're competent enough to see at night, they'll have enough wits about them to listen before acting out again. If they don't...they'll learn why its good to stay one's hand now and then." "...They're coming, be on guard Sal" Lindsey spoke grimly as watched the duo begin their descent towards the ground and estimated they'd arrive shortly. The two landed on the ground with a sizable thump, Rene sliding off Aethon's back before landing on her feet. Meanwhile, Aethon transformed next to her, taking on the bird taking on its human form once more. The two stood side to side. Lindsey never took her finger off of her rifle and she stood side to side with Sal and eyed the mysterious duo with a hardened glare, ready to engage at a moment's notice. Aethon eyed the couple with disdain. "Is it customary to shoot at anything and everything in the sky?" she asked, her tone irritated. Lindsey shrugged "In most cases no but when your dealing with a suspicious couple like you and your partner over there, it seemed appropriate to test the waters" Rene, for her part, remained unperturbed, though her eyes glittered like rubies. "Tell me, do you know where I could find a certain male named Tetsuya? He and I have some..unfinished business." The moment she heard the name of her boss, Lindsey's body flinched as her glare hardened and she analyzed the woman standing in front of her. "Is she an assassin? She might look like one but there'd be no point of announcing who your target is, unless she was an idiot or supremely confident in her own skills. A bounty hunter perhaps? She did mention unfinished business with the boss, shit this is giving me a headache. In any case, we still need to gauge her intentions and see if she's a threat..." '' "...Perhaps. What business do you have with him?" She intentionally withheld the fact that they were his subordinates as she needed to ascertain their intentions before revealing such crucial information. Just as she was about to ask another question, Lindsey noticed something odd going on with Sal, or rather, his companion Cursan as she tilted her head. "What's wrong?" The devil’s form coalesced into shadows, sliding toward Lindsey. A tendril coming from the black mass clicked on the sniper’s forehead, creating a mental three-way channel where the trio could freely discuss without the two intruders hearing a thing. “''Linsdey, Sal, I recognize this woman”. He explained. “''She’s exactly like us: a wayward fighter and assassin who captured the attention of our boss. He brought me to help him to track her down. Safe to say, she’s a tough cookie''”. "I see, so that's how it is" Lindsey was only mildly surprised. Usually when someone came looking for her boss, they were either trying to kill him or to join him. Though, judging by the soulless look on this woman's face, it looked like she didn't exactly have positive feelings towards Tetsuya. “That’s for sure”. Sa’luk's inquisitive gaze fell on the duo, searching from every detail he could deduce their strength from. From their firm posture, the fierceness of their attitude and the odd auras reverberating from their frame, he could tell the two women meant some business. He was not surprised that Tetsuya would try to recruit them: he was attracted to powerful and awesome people like a bear to beehives, something her fiancée teased him incessantly for. Even more so, there was something in the raven-haired woman that felt awfully familiar: a lack of a spark, broken shadows darkening the crimson of her sclera. Those were almost empty eyes, drained of life, bereft of purpose. Sal’uk was sure she had faced tremendous ordeals, a lifetime of killing and hiding weighing on her shoulders to stave off the pain and emptiness she was feeling. That was how he used to be before meeting Dawn Horizon. “Maybe I could help you find him…” Sa’luk squatted in for, without breaking eye contact with Renesmee. “But we need to take some precautions first.” His demonic partner nodded, already nodded what to do. A part of his immaterial, dark essence slithered on the ground, touching the feet of the two ladies. A dark rim begun rising on the feet, covering their shoes, then their calves. “If you wish to meet Tetsuya, do not move a muscle nor oppose the rising shadow. Tetsuya has many enemies, and we need to make sure you aren’t one of them”. Aethon stared at the rising shadow, her disdain growing. "Tch. And you expect us to just sit here and comply? I'm sorry, but that's bad business," she retorted, attempting to slash at the shadows only to learn of their immateriality. She turned, only to notice Rene remained still, her gaze chilling as she switched her attention from a fellow assassin to the shadows he spoke to. Shadows that felt familiar after all this time. "You were with him weren't you..." her eyes narrowed, a brighter, more dangerous red. Her mind backtracked to that day, and the faint, third presence she had felt for a short window. Well, her clone had felt anyway. "Were you the reason he found me..twice?" A simple question, but one loaded with meaning. One she suspected she knew the answer to already. Renesmee then did the opposite of what was asked, tapping her partner on the shoulder as they disappeared via her magic before reappearing a ways away. "Considering you indirectly jeopardized my mission, and subsequently, my partner's life, I'm not exactly in a forgiving mood. Had I wanted to assassinate your guild master, he wouldn't have returned home that day," she stated flatly. No arrogance, no smugness, just bone-chilling calm. Lindsey's eyes flinched when Renes was lost from her eye magic but then soon refocused as she spotted her a few meters away from her original position. She was inwardly surprised that the woman in front of her was able to vanish like that but regained her bearings as she grunted at the mysterious assassin. "You? Kill our boss? That'll be the day" Lindsey snorted before adopting a more serious look. "So why the hell are you even here if you're not here to kill Tetsuya? You really expect us to believe you just wanted to talk when you're acting that distant?" "You don't become an assassin by wearing your emotions on your sleeve," she chided lightly in response, "I'm here to question him about his lying to me. I do not take to liars and manipulators. Think of this as a fact check." "Then you should consider your choice of words more, carefully". Cursan stepped in. "As, by letting your pride being your master, you are forgoing a chance for an easy and direct way to the boss". "Ours was just a typical procedure. Cursan would come closer to you in order to sense whether you are telling the truth or not: being a sensor of such great caliber, it only makes sense for us to take advantage of such ability and weed out intruders." Sa'luk continued. "Wouldn't you do the same if you were in our shoes? After all, we assassins can't allow ourselves the luxury of trust, only fools would do that". The young man's tone was mostly serious, and not without a slight chiding intention. He cared not of the woman's history with Cursan: the test was the most efficient way to dissipate any doubt, and he would not give in without having performed it. Cursan, on the other hand, was desperately trying to hold back tears of pride, for his adopted son, usually so extremely scant in compliment, had for once applauded hisskills as a sensor. Her own response carried a chiding tone. "You seem to forget your station as an assassin. As if I would simply allow for that to happen...too many have tried that with the same claim as you. All of them ended up dead...surely you can understand a distrust of a demon-wielding assassin after being targeted by assassins for a good chunk of one's life." "So then it seems we're at an impasse" Lindsey chimed in as her finger etched closer to pulling the trigger "We don't trust you and you don't trust us. So unless you want me to fill you and your bird brain of a companion with holes, you better get out of here" Lindsey's tone changed, her voice dripping with a level of seriousness that she never showed as her loyalty towards those in her family was absolute. "I don't care what relationship you have with our boss, you aren't getting anywhere close to him without showing us that you can be trusted" "So it seems," Rene commented before her tone sharpened, "and the moment you try filling my companion and I with holes, you will be on the ground in pieces. So don't tempt me." Aethon watched the tension increase several fold, her nervousness showing. She had expected to be met with resistance, but this felt almost....rabid. Fanatical even. Her doubts about Dawn Horizon only increased; she was no fan of zealots. Not after seeing the doldrums of Sin anyway. "Let's just go. It's not worth it Rene; not if they're like this." Her relief was palpable when Rene nodded. She shifted into bird form once more, Rene climbing on her back. "For reference, we came to demand answers, not join a cult." With that last zing, Aethon took to the skies once more. Lindsey watched the duo take off with a skeptical gaze as she deactivated her eye magic and slowly lowered her rifle. Her shoulders relaxed as she dropped her guard and continued to watch the duo fly through the sky, eyes turning slightly over towards her lover and Cursan. "So, what now? You really think they were just here to talk with the boss? Should we really just let them leave?" Sal'uk gaze's stared into the horizon, watching the duo shrinking into nothingness, his head seemingly lost in various contemplations, calculations.... and plannings. "We may... for the time being". He gave his answer, one which Cursan found so uncharacteristic he crossed his many eyes. Ignoring his partner, the young man took a golden capsule in his pocket, the one containing the special dragon-shaped vehicle Sabrina had built for him. He clicked the object, and barely waiting the ending of the transformation, he put his hand over his door. "If they are not willing to be checked, there is no point in trying to discuss with them. I have a plan to deal with the two, however: we should discuss it inside the vehicle". "Alright" Lindsey nodded as she was led inside the vehicle and took a seat, unstrapping the rifle on her back and placing it on the seat next to her as she stretched her back and leaned against the seat. "What's the plan?" "Simple". Sa'luk took his place on the cockpit; the engine lacrima responded to his touch, glowing. A display right on his left signed their altitude and pressure conditions at a given moment, for the vehicle had been been built completely sound proof. "First off all, we're gonna tell the boss that we've found the lass she's yearning for, and that she's searching for them, but only on the very specific promise he will come with us and let us conduct the "precautionary test. "Now, we are howering over the forest at a reasonable altitude to be found, and we won't trouble at speed above Mach 1. So, if they want to go and follow, the two will succeed. We will be monitoring their presence with our monitors, and ascertain whether they are curious enough to spy even after calling us a bunch fanatics obsessed with security". He said, but without showing any ill feeling toward Aethon's acrid remarks: Sa'luk was truly that loyal to his own boss, and you don't survive for long in the assassination game without being a complete paranoid. Then he rose two fingers, an index and a middle one. "Things will go as it follow: the two will stand by their refusal and try and reach the boss on their own. if that is the case, we'll be bringing the boss to them without any trouble. That will indicate that they truly have the intentions they claim." He lowered his middle finger. "Our second option comes if they prove to be much more curious than what they implied: we'll be luring them into trap, far away from the boss, and force them to accept the trial, cost what it may". "Mmmm...." Cursan shrugged o n his shoulders. "So, are you going to tempt them following us, and punish the proverbial cats- or birds, in this scenario- if they follow their natural curiosity. A decent strategy. But my experience teaches me a thing: even though we've managed to spot them, they have got magic that can completely erase their presence. I am sure they won't be so stupid to follow our presence without using that skills of the dhampir girl. So, how can we assess our option without the certain knowledge of their presence?" "Simple. Because, regardless of what the two girls are doing, we won't go straight to our boss. We'll try and bring a new passenger, somebody that knows vampires better than anybody else, and will be of immense help if things are heading toward a violent direction". Sa'luk touched a smaller glyph close to his left, which started to pulsate in rapid intermittences until a muffled voice was audible, asking what the fuss was needed. Sa'luk smile's turned ear to ear. "Evangeline, it's Sa'luk and Lindsey. We've got a favor to ask you, one that involves vampires and their proles..." ----- Aethon continued flying through night sky. "So, we aren't just leaving right?" she asked, her voice hopeful. She wanted nothing more than to leave that troublesome guild behind. Rene sighed. "Of course not; we find another way. Considering where we met them, we're likely close. That means we can shrink down the search radius by a significant margin, saving time and energy." Her magic rippled around her. "So now....we hunt." With that, Aethon banked a left, doubling back the way they came while giving the area they came from a wide berth. "You know, you'll be the death of me with all of these trips. Why can't we go somewhere nice? Like...I don't know, down the coast? Better yet, we could go look for clues about your father," the bird added dryly. "Unfortunately, I wouldn't know where to begin. My treacherous parent had a particular skill with cutting that off...and she took whatever she knew to the grave with her." "Maybe...maybe not? I mean, you did finish her off, maybe there's hints in her blood? Memories or something? I don't know how it all works." "We can debate this later-" Rene's eyes narrowed as she sighted another object in the sky, "So they didn't take the foot patrol after all...follow them Aethon, but at a distance." Aethon frowned, wondering what Rene was talking about, until she saw the odd contraption. "What is that......" her own curiosity spurred her onwards, as she which from searching the landscape to following this new entity. "Some transportation mechanism...but they're in there." Sa'luk stared at the dots on his right, whose pulsation and size grew by the seconds as it came reasonably close the ship. Not enough to be seen by normal eyes, but under the dragon-maw the two were on displayed on plain sight, bright as they can be. "So, they decided to follow us. Without even bothering hiding their presence". Sa'luk licked their lips. "We might act fanantical, but they are beyond imprudent in their code of conduct. Let's teach them some lessons about 'being descreet'". "They've got some nerve, calling us fanatics and claiming to leave but are following us. I knew they were up to something" Lindsey growled as she the turned to Sa'luk with gleaming eyes "Lets get em!" Sa'luk nodded as he drew the dumbbell close to them, which the made the ship accellerate to a rather conspicous degree. Even from sound, bullet nad magic proof of the cockpit they could feel something of blackslash as the veichle soared through air at a tremendous velocty, making the treetops below fluttering for the sheer movement. "Well, so muich being for being discreet, "commented Cursan, thanking he did not suffer from motion sickness or something like that. "Are you sure they won't see our gallop as something rather... suspicious? As if, we are luring them to a trap?" "If they can see through it, it means we'll just bring Evangeline together for a trip, and things will go smoothly for all of us". Sa'luk shrugged on his shoulders. "If not, shame on them for acting like amateurs". "Slow down Aeth," she commented as their target sped ahead. Aet paused. "Why? We're going to lose them at this rate." "I don't like it is why. They've definitely sensed us. The question is where are they going in such a hurry.." she spurred Aethon forward a hair. "Maybe to report back to Tetsu?" "Doubtful. They wouldn't let us within a mile of him earlier, so I doubt they'd head there now, especially knowing we're behind them," Rene responded, working through possibilities before finding one she liked, "a diversion. Possibly a trap. Though what lies in this trap?" She was reminded of a phrase that curiosity killed the cat, but she couldn't help but want to study the behavior that was so devout to this guy. "You would think he was the Messiah or something," Aeth added, seemingly on the same wavelength. She noticed Rene's growing curiosity with something like intrigue; she didn't know whether to be happy that the assassin was displaying more than emptiness or to be terrified by its cause. "So we're going to continue following them? Even though it is likely a trap..." "Yes." "Are we going stealth mode at least?" "Yes." "Good." When the cloaking fell in place, Aethon took after the distant contraption, cutting through the sky like a knife. ---- "This is such a pain in the ass" An audible groan escaped the mouth of a silver haired woman who was currently sitting on a thick tree branch, her body leaned back as her legs were crossed; her entire being oozing a sense of laziness as if she was the incarnation of sloth. A bag of potato chips laid on her stomach as she plucked a chip from within the plastic and munched on it slowly, frowning as she looked into the night sky. "Why do I have to use my precious free time to go and verify some half-ling? What am I, some sort of security officer? Can't say that I'm not surprised by it though, who would have thought the boss would draw the attention of a dhampir assassin of all things? Wonders never cease around him" She snacked on another chip as she licked her soft pink lips, annoyance still present on her face. "Still, this sucks. I was really hoping me and Dy could go out for a date later..." Evangeline had been planning tonight to ask Dyson out for a romantic dinner as she saw that today was one of the days he wasn't busy managing the Alliance in her negligent boss' place but of course, thanks to this new unexpected curve ball, her plans were ruined. She really wanted to just skip it but her loyalty towards the guild prompted her to at least assist her guild mates in verifying the intentions of this half-ling. Though, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least somewhat curious as to the identity of this mysterious little hybrid. "Heh, tonight might not be so bad after all" Her lips curved into a wide smile as she snacked on another chip and awaited the arrival of her guild mates. ---- After many miles and hours of traveling, the dragon's maw landed quietely in the middle of a wooded path. The landscape was quiet and pleasant, a gentle wind breezed through pines and conifers. Since night was already high in the sky, passerby could hear crickets making their concerts and fireflies lit inside the brushes. Sa'luk came out last from the vehicle, after helping Lindsey getting off, and made the dragon's maw shrinking back to its capsule point by touching the right gliph. Finding the scent of musk pleasant enough, he breathed with his nose, though not at the of lungs, for the was a lot of dust on the track. The aisle was of a medium size- not too small, nor too wide- enough to allow the parking of the dragon maw and the passage on foot of another person, but much more. Flanked on both sides by conifers, it meandered down the depth of the forest, taking a course that narrowed down more and more among trees and branches. "A quite place to spend a night of rest, and a perfect place to get someone lost". Assessed Sa'luk. He really liked that choice of Avenue. "Come on lin, lets go and visit our friend". He said, then dove deep into the woods. Lindsey nodded with a smirk as she took off after Sa'luk, but not before taking a quick glance back towards the direction they just came from. "We''ll find out your true motives" She turned back around and followed her boyfriend as the duo sped through the wooded land and hoped the mysterious duo had taken the bait. Rene remained silent as she watched the dragon land. She was certain they were well away from the actual guild, but her newfound curiosity pushed her forward, continuing to tail them from above. "Where are they going? I know they're trying to draw us away or something but this place doesn't make sense," Aethon commented. She flew lower. "We're going to have to land soon, unless we map out if and where this path opens up," Aethon looked backwards, still receiving no response, "are you ok Rene?" The assassin frowned, an ominous feeling rankling the young woman as they continued to descend. The smell too was familiar, if a bit different; what was it? She could feel the answer on the tip of tongue. Had she blocked it out? It started to irritate her a bit. "I'm fine, just...on edge. There's something here I don't like, but I can't put my finger on what it is." She spurred Aethon forward, the duo maneuvering between the trees. As Lindsey continued to run with Sa'luk, a foreboding feeling came over her as she looked back and frowned. "I can't sense them, do you think they took the bait?" "I can't sense them either," Cursan followed suit. "Maybe they aren't quite as reckless as we think..." "No, I am sure about them following us. I can bet on it". Said Sal'uk, taking a different course on the increasingly erratic pathway. "Its not that I can sense their magic, but I'm sure about them following us. Call it a 'sixth sense' or something, but when I looked on the brunette's eyes I saw a thirst... for knoweldge. Whatever the reason, they are longing to see our boss, so much so to take even the slightest detour". Suddenly, the twisted trail became straight as an arrow, a normal road surrounded by poplar. "Regardless, we'll discover the truth: we're close". "I see. Well, your instincts are usually spot on so we'll have to trust you" Lindsey smiled. She had faith in Sa'luk and if he said the duo was following them, she just had to believe in him. Her breath caught as they inched closer, passing those they had followed overhead. While a part of her noticed the path changing, what really caught Rene's attention lie just ahead. "No. No, no, no." She felt her magic faltered a bit against the rising tide of emotions. The assassin tried clamping them down, even as the seething, boiling hatred started climbing. "Rene??" Aethon asked, a note of concern present. The bird then stiffened. Why would one them be here? This had to be one of the worst things they could have chosen! Did those figures they had followed know? Maybe this was intentional..how cruel could they be? The bird's temper flared. "Rene. RENE. Listen to me!! Focus on me, not that. FOCUS ON ME. We're just going for a joyride at night through the forest. Testing out my flying skills," she dove under a branch, "see? Just a ride." Alas, Rene wasn't listening. The erratic change in Renesmee's mental state slightly cracked the perfect veil she had cast over herself as Lindsey and Sa'luk both picked up on a swirling wrath of emotion coming from behind them as they glanced backwards. "You feel that Sal? You were right, they were following us" Lindsey was both glad and anxious at the same time. She was happy that Sa'luk had guessed correctly but confused as to why she was feeling so much dread behind her? Just what was going on? "No", Sa'luke frowned. Having being acquainted to sensing magical traces, and ever more to homicidial urges, the assassin knew things were to take a much a darker path. "She's going after Eva. And she craves for a bloodbath". "What!? This is bad, really bad" Lindsey feared not for her guild mate, but for the assassin as Eva's power was no joke. In fact, she, along with two other members, were strictly prohibited from releasing their full magic power when near the guild for fear of destroying the area due to the gargantuan amount of power they held. Cursan understood that frenzied vampire meant terrible business and took preemptive steps: advising Eva via a little telepathic message and praying that the very little common sense left in that centuries old version of a teenage girl with periods would be enough to listen to some good advice. "Eva, here is Cursan. The half-vampire lass we've talked about is coming after you, and is oozing of intent to murder, rip and mutilate. I am sure you can handle, but please, remember that we must keep both you in one piece. So, for the love of Tiamat, try not overdo this one. We'll providing you due assistance very soon, we promise". "...Is that so..." Evangeline listened to the demon's request with a half interested mind as she was mainly focused on the amount of killing intent she sensed miles away from her and the reasoning behind it. "Odd, I've never met this brat before so why does she hold such anger towards me? Perhaps a general dislike of vampires? Whatever, I can just answer those questions when I meet this child" She thought amusedly as she enjoyed the taste of her chips being chewed in her mouth. And go she went. Somersaulting off of Aethon's back, the assassin hit the ground running, fury driving her natural speed to greater heights as she closed the remaining distance, roaring to a stop in the clearing Eva resided in. "Why is a bloodsucker like you here?" she spat, eyes glowing as she began circling, hands on her hilts. Aethon, for her part flew as fast as her wings would carry her, stopping when she caught up to Rene. Yes, her fears were confirmed. It wasn't just the killing intent rolling off Rene in waves; it was an all too familiar arrogance mingled with the scent of blood. Vampire...she wasn't an expert, but this one smelled old. Older than Esme; more powerful too. Her concern and anger grew in tandem. Anger at the ones they followed for leading, anger at herself for not pushing harder for them to turn back when both of them knew better, concern for Rene's mental health, fury at Eva for existing. It wasn't going to end well as far as Thon was concerned, seeing Rene spring forward in a feint. Eva for her part, remained quiet as her eyes remained fixed on the girls standing before her with rage and anger enveloping her entire being, ignoring both the woman's question and the bird that had just flew in. "So that's her, huh? The child that Tetsuya wanted to recruit and clearly wants to kill me? Hmm..." Evangeline could easily tell that the woman standing before had sucked a humans's blood before, though nowhere near as much as those who truly could be called vampires. And if she wasn't imagining it, she could vividly see the trail of a very familiar bloodline in her system. There was only one person she knew who had blood that unique as a chuckle escaped Evangeline's mouth but she refrained from voicing it, for now at least. She finished chewing on another chip before she licked the salt on her lips and smiled a bit, feeling it appropriate to humor the child. "Now that's not a very polite way to ask someone a question, who taught you your manners? And if I'm a blood sucker, what does that make you? Or do you think you're excluded from that title because your blood count isn't as high as myself, or even nobles?" "Less of one for starters," Rene snapped. She didn't need Eva to point out the part of herself she hated just as much; it was something that gnawed at her every waking moment...most of her sleeping ones too. She drew one sword, the crimson blade glowing angrily in the dappled moonlight. Leveling the blade horizontally, Renesmee attacked in earnest, beginning with a forward charge as a test. Evangeline watched Renes approach her from below and smiled, tossing the empty bag of chips to the side as she stood up from her seat on the branch she had been resting on and jumped down, landing on the ground elegantly and she shoved her hands into the pockets of her fur jacket. "You're a hasty one, we haven't even introduced ourselves yet" Evangeline merely stood there unarmed and unprotected as the woman came in charging with her crimson blade and just as the woman had entered Eva's personal space, two pairs of claws sprouted from Evangeline's shadow as they aimed to cleave the assassin's head off.